


Questions

by OrbManson7



Category: Oxenfree
Genre: Insomnia, Introspection, Late Night Conversations, M/M, barely anything even happens in this, bros being bros, fake netflix shows, it's just ren and jonas talking late at night and that's it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 13:56:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16119869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrbManson7/pseuds/OrbManson7
Summary: Jonas knew he didn’t have to keep doing this. He could play stupid. He could keep this conversation from continuing. Really, he could just ignore Ren and go back upstairs. He didn’t have any real reason to stay down here, right?He grabbed the sandwich off the counter.Ren shifted in his chair, his voice laced with what he was sure was laughter.“Pfft, I know that, thanks. What I-- I just meant, what are you doing down here? Isn’t it, like, 3 in the morning? I know I’m up, too, but I-- I mean, like, I just finished watching a million episodes of hot ladies kicking alien butt. So...what’s your excuse?”Jonas stared down at the outline of the sandwich in his hand. He sighed as softly as he could.“...can’t sleep.”





	Questions

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this over two years ago. i never posted it. but i've been thinking about weed beanies/renas lately so i figured...why not?  
> hope it's alright. enjoy.

There were a lot of questions that could be asked. Jonas would sit up in his new bedroom and think of them all the time. Like, why was he here? Would Alex’s brother be mad if he could know Jonas had taken over his room and was smoking out his window pretty much every night?  
Did any of his friends back home miss him or think about him at all? Did he miss them? Did his dad miss the old house? Did his mother? What did Heaven look like? Was there even a chance he could see her again?  
Jonas had a lot of questions, yes, and never anyone to ask them to, let alone get any answers from. But he’d started to get used to it after the past few years. Every day was filled with new questions and even fewer answers; it was just a part of life.  
However, the question biting at his mind in the middle of the night right now was quite easy to ask aloud.  
“R-ren?” he cocked an eyebrow at the shadow in the dark. “What are you doing here?”

The familiar face of Alex’s best friend looked up at him from inside the dark kitchen.  
“Ah, oh-- Jonas!” the boy quickly beamed, as if he wasn’t just staring solemnly at the floor a moment prior, “I didn’t know you were up!”

Jonas stepped into the kitchen, making his way over to the refrigerator as originally planned. He reached up and scratched at the back of his head, suddenly feeling almost naked without a beanie to cover his hair. Did Ren care? Probably not. But he knew Ren was watching him as he did, for whatever reason.  
And then the guy opened his mouth to speak. Not that Jonas had expected any different.  
“You totally missed it, man. This season was the best one yet!”

Jonas yanked open the fridge and inspected the contents inside, hoping he could make something quickly for himself and get the hell back upstairs. Not that he didn’t like Ren, but he’d just given him permission to speak freely and he knew he’d avidly use it.  
“And, oh man, Angie was such a badass in the finale, too. You really gotta check it out next time. I’m sure Alex would totally be up for watching it from the beginning with you if you want--hell, I know I would be--it would be worth it, really, even after the new stuff--”

“Ren.”

Jonas snatched a container of deli meat from the fridge drawer and set it on the counter, using the light from the fridge to finally get a better look at Ren’s face. The guy looked like he needed to be asleep about twelve hours ago. Way too tired to be awake. Actually, why was he even awake?  
“You didn’t answer my question,” Jonas told him, a bit matter-of-factly. And it was true; he hadn’t.  
“Wha-- but, I--” Ren fumbled over his words, glancing away and then back at Jonas again. “I thought you--Dude, Alex and I just marathoned the entirety of season 4 on Netflix. You know this.”  
Jonas grabbed some mustard from the door and paused as he tried to remember which of the counter drawers had the knives in it.  
“I know that,” he told him, “I meant, why are you in here, in the kitchen?”  
Ren laughed. It was louder than he’d probably meant for it to be, but Jonas tried not to react.  
“Ohh! Ha, yeah, well…” Ren trailed off, and took a bite of what appeared to be a hastily-made PB & J. Had he made that in the dark?  
“6 hours of nonstop aliens and robots and crime-fighting action, I mean-- I’ve been on my phone, blogging about it, but now the thing’s dead so I’m letting it recharge. And I’m letting myself recharge in the meantime. Heh, get it?”  
Ren held up the PB & J almost proudly. Jonas nodded as he found the open bag of bread and snatched a couple pieces, starting to make himself a sandwich by the light from the fridge, as well.  
“You sleep over often?” Jonas couldn’t help but ask, not looking at the other as he did.  
“Uhh, yeah, no... Uhh--” Ren paused, probably trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to say. “Alex and I have been friends forever, man. Marge doesn’t care if I commandeer the couch for the night, you know? Besides, we didn’t even finish watching the finale until-- what? 2AM? I didn’t want to walk home in the middle of the night. I’ve had more than enough spooky twilight zone crap to last me a lifetime, so I think I’ll pass!”  
Jonas pretended he didn’t want to laugh at that. He wondered if Ren knew he was funny when he wasn’t really trying. He put the mustard and deli meat back in the fridge and closed the door.  
It was dark again.  
“Uhh, so what about you?” Ren asked, his voice quieter than the last time he spoke.  
Jonas leaned back against the counter.  
“I live here. Remember?” He remarked. Jonas knew he didn’t have to keep doing this. He could play stupid. He could keep this conversation from continuing. Really, he could just ignore Ren and go back upstairs. He didn’t have any real reason to stay down here, right?  
He grabbed the sandwich off the counter.  
Ren shifted in his chair, his voice laced with what he was sure was laughter.  
“Pfft, I know that, thanks. What I-- I just meant, what are you doing down here? Isn’t it, like, 3 in the morning? I know I’m up, too, but I-- I mean, like, I just finished watching a million episodes of hot ladies kicking alien butt. So...what’s your excuse?”

Jonas stared down at the outline of the sandwich in his hand. He sighed as softly as he could.  
“...can’t sleep.”

Why was he being honest? He supposed it didn’t really matter, anyway. It was just Ren. He was harmless. Harmless enough, that is.

“Oh.”

Jonas blinked at the dark around him before turning to the outline of where he knew Ren was.  
That was the shortest response he’d probably ever heard the boy say. Ever.

Why did that feel so...disconcerting?

“I…” Ren started again, and Jonas took a bite out of his sandwich. “Uhh, sorry to hear it.”  
Jonas just shrugged in response. It’s not like he wasn’t completely used to it by now. He just had a few days or weeks every now and again where sleep wasn’t a...thing. That’s all. No big deal.

“It happens,” Jonas responded, swallowing and cringing at how slimy the turkey cold cuts felt in his throat. Maybe he should have gone for a PB & J like Ren had…  
“Still,” Ren shifted again, “it probably sucks. Were we keeping you up, or…?”  
Jonas shook his head, though he wasn’t sure if Ren could actually see him in the dark.  
“Nah, I couldn’t even hear you guys after the whole pizza fight thing died down.”  
Ren snickered.  
“Oh. Oh yeah! Well, heh--” Ren let out a laugh like he’d been holding it in, “Alex should know--I mean, any sane person would know that olives do not belong on a pizza.”  
“But jalapenos do?” Jonas raised an eyebrow and smirked.  
“Hey! They add zest and flavor to the natural spice of pizza sauce. There couldn’t be anything better! Don’t act like you don’t agree!”  
Jonas joined in the snickering. He couldn’t help it.  
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say,” he waved Ren off, shoving more of his sandwich in his face.  
Ren continued to laugh, but it was starting to feel like it was forced. Jonas ignored the feeling that crept up in him from that thought.

“Uhh, so,” Ren picked at what was left of his PB & J, “I’m gonna...go check and see if my phone has been somewhat revived yet. You wanna, uhm-- I mean, I don’t know if you’re just gonna go back upstairs and sleep or whatever, but I was gonna maybe watch something-- on the TV, not my phone-- so if you wanted to, like-- not that you have to--”

“Ren,” Jonas stopped him. It was weird to hear Ren ramble, but it was weirder when he wasn’t even looking at him when he did it. Why was he acting all awkward about this?  
“Sorry,” Ren stood up, bringing his half-eaten sandwich with him and then smiling wide. “But, yeah, feel free to join me!”

Jonas watched Ren step across the tile floor and into the living room. He frowned. How could someone go from acting like some shy weirdo to cocky and...well, the opposite of what he was just being, in less than a few seconds? How did he do that?

“I told you guys, I’m not one for superhero shows,” he finally responded.  
Ren whipped around so quickly, Jonas was honestly surprised. The guy was beaming again.  
“No, no, no, it’s not a superhero show. It’s 'space-hero'. Or, rather, heroine-- the, uhh, kickass ladies, not the drugs-- and, yeah, it’s all about good versus evil, but what good show doesn’t do that?”  
Jonas pushed himself away from the counter and followed the rambling fool back into the living room. He shook his head. He just had to sign up for this, didn’t he?  
Ren plopped himself down on the couch, reaching over the end table next to him for his phone that was conveniently plugged into the wall...that was nearly three feet away. The white cord was pulled taut, a death trap in waiting for anyone who was unfortunate enough to want to walk around the couch that way in the dark.  
Jonas sat down next to Ren on the couch, leaning back into the cushions. If he couldn’t sleep, he could at least be comfortable.  
“Wow, a whopping 2% from sitting here for nearly twelve minutes,” Ren muttered. “I really need to get a better phone.”  
Jonas shook his head. Ren was such a character, always having something to say. He wondered what would happen if the poor guy ran in an election, or got caught in mob fight. Would he just blurt out whatever was on his mind, or carefully craft some strange array of words that managed to make sense in the moment?  
Just the mental image of Ren rambling away about pot while standing behind a podium made Jonas want to laugh.  
“What are you smiling about over there?” Ren poked his side.  
Jonas grumbled, pathetically leaning away and rubbing at the jabbed spot.  
“We gonna watch something or what?” he replied, not really in the mood for more sharing. He figured he’d been honest enough for one night.  
“Yeah, yeah, sure,” Ren leaned forward and reached for the remote on the cluttered coffee table. The pizza box and empty popcorn bowl from earlier hadn’t left the party yet, either, apparently.  
With a click, the TV suddenly came to life, blinding both boys in the process.  
“Augh!” Jonas covered his eyes. Ren thought it was funny enough to laugh at, judging by the snickering he could hear.  
As the TV volume was lowered, Jonas glanced over after letting his eyes adjust a moment. Ren was grinning at him, and not in a way he thought he’d like.  
“And just what are _you_ smiling about?” he asked, mocking and reaching over to poke Ren in the shoulder.  
Ren just laughed more, and covered his mouth.  
“I had no idea how bad your hair looked, dude,” he finally sputtered out, openly laughing now.  
Jonas ran a hand through his untamable locks. Yeah, he’d forgotten about that, too.  
“Is that-- pfft, is that why you always wear a hat? I guess I would, too, if my hair was that bad,” Ren smirked, proud of himself despite such a bad joke.  
Jonas poked his shoulder again, harder this time.  
“Agh, okay, okay! It’s all in good fun!” Ren defended. “Hey, at least you manage to work the beanie look. Not everyone can make it look good. I know I sure as hell can’t.”  
Jonas leaned back into the couch again.  
“I guess I’ll consider that a compliment,” he told him.  
“You should,” Ren pointed the remote control, searching through the guide, “but it was actually kinda totally more of an out--a bribe, if you will--to get you to stop harassing my shoulder.”  
“We'll see how long it lasts then, huh?” Jonas smirked, stretching an arm back behind the couch.  
This was comfortable. Nice.  
Ren flipped through channels for a bit before finally settling on some movie about birds. The music was cringeworthy.  
Jonas didn't even bother to express his disinterest, he just turned to Ren and bluntly asked,  
“What are we watching?”

Ren didn’t even look at him when he responded.  
“Animal Planet. The logo is in the corner right there.”

He couldn't help it, and sighed.  
“Alright, _why_ are we watching this?” he tried.

“What?" Ren raised an annoying eyebrow at him, "Tweeting birds and British narrators just not good enough for you?”  
“It’s boring.”  
“It’s supposed to be boring,” Ren rolled his eyes, looking back towards the TV. “This kind of crap always puts me right to sleep...so I thought, uhm…”  
He glanced back at Jonas again, only to avert his eyes again almost instantly.  
“I don’t know what I thought, but maybe since it tends to help me, maybe it’d help you, too? I don’t know, I mean, it probably does the opposite, for all I know, but-- well, it kinda seemed like a good idea…? Maybe?”  
He rubbed his arm, almost like he was nervous. Jonas wondered why he would be.  
“Thanks," he told him in earnest.  
“Oh, uhh… you're welcome?” Ren blinked at him in confusion.  
“...what?” Jonas asked.  
“Heh, I wasn't really expecting you to thank me.” Ren smiled, but his voice still sounded uncertain.

Jonas didn't like his confusion. He turned to look at him a little better, the television turning to a commercial and covering Ren in a yellow light.  
He looked tired, he thought again. It was understandable, considering the late hour and how Ren had been watching Netflix for however long before this, but it still surprised Jonas, for whatever reason. Maybe it was just odd to think of someone who could talk at so many miles a minute to actually be exhausted.  
He tried to match his smile, saying,  
“You were trying to help me out; be a bro, you know? I can appreciate that."

Ren caught his gaze then, and maybe it was the commercial changing or maybe Ren's face really was turning red, but it made something squeeze inside his chest. Jonas didn't know what to do with that feeling.

Ren leaned back into the couch, their shoulders brushing together warmly.  
“Right.”

Jonas looked back towards the TV screen, but the feeling against his shoulder was so much like the feeling roiling in his chest, and he wondered what that could mean.

He wondered… Did that mean anything?

He wondered… What would Alex find there in the morning?


End file.
